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UC Berkeley Press Release

Campus receives state water pollution award

– The University of California, Berkeley, was recently awarded a Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Achievement by the California Water Environment Association (CWEA) for its water pollution prevention efforts over the past several years.

CWEA is a wastewater industry trade group, with its membership comprised primarily of wastewater treatment plant professionals, equipment manufacturers and consultants. The award was presented Feb. 23 at the association's annual conference in Burbank, Calif.

Among the campus's accomplishments were reducing the amount of chlorinated hydrocarbons entering the sanitary sewer, developing campus drain disposal guidelines, implementing outreach and education programs, and more recently, establishing a mercury reduction program. UC Berkeley was also recognized for its significant efforts to restore and protect Strawberry Creek.

"In awarding UC Berkeley one of only two certificates of merit for the Northern California region, CWEA has demonstrated its awareness that academic institutions face significant challenges in protecting water quality, and has recognized UC Berkeley for performing in an exemplary fashion," said Mark Freiberg, director of UC Berkeley's Office of Environment, Health & Safety, which oversaw the programs.

UC Berkeley was nominated for the award by the East Bay Municipal Utility District and is the first university ever to receive this award. CWEA typically awards large industrial dischargers who have greatly enhanced their pollution prevention programs, such as the winner of this year's top award, an electrical parts manufacturer.

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